December 26 - the day after Christmas. The day where you can sit in your pajamas all day long, eat delicious holiday leftovers from the festivities of Christmas Day, and feel zero guilt. After all, calories don’t count today, right? At least that’s what I keep telling myself…

Then again, maybe you have even more celebrations to run off to today for another side of the family, friends who happen to be in town for the holidays, or any other collection of “to do list” items that were neglected because of Christmas and holiday preparations.

However, my plans for today look like the first paragraph – rest, relaxation, and I guess a bit of to do list catch-up (but nothing too intense). In my mind, today is kind of a holiday from the holiday. Time to stop and breathe from the hustle and bustle of December, time to unwind and decompress from the fun and stimulation of being surrounded by so many loved ones over the past few days.

You know, the contrast between the atmospheres in my home yesterday and today is unbelievably striking. The scene from yesterday: 28 joyful individuals engaging in lively conversations - recounting stories, laughing and eating way too much food while the littlest ones ran back and forth from room to room all in celebration of the humble birth of our Savior. The scene from today: a quiet home with pets snoozing comfortably in the sun on the couch while a holiday candle flickers and Spotify plays softly in the background.

Contrast has the remarkable effect of magnifying a change, of magnifying a difference. I think Christmas is a beautiful reminder of the power of contrast and difference. The difference between yesterday’s chaos and today’s peace. The difference between death and life. The lowly birth of a powerful Savior. That lowly birth of an entirely dependent infant in a stable who would live a perfect life in order to save you and me. Dependent infant and heavenly Savior. So many contrasting features all wrapped up in one beautiful gift that we purposefully celebrate once a year.

Yet, it’s one of those gifts that deserves celebration each and every day of the year, not just the one we set aside to share with our friends and family. As you enjoy the rest of your holiday season, whether it be with more festivities or peaceful rest and quiet contemplation, I pray you can continue to rejoice with me over our amazing Savior.